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CI) u c .CI) u en 4- 1) o o The right BY ANNE GARDINER you probably know that for each of these dishes, some kinds of potatoes work better than others: russets are great for mashing and baking; round whites for sauteing; little red potatoes for boiling whole. But why is this so? To answer that question, let's take a P closer look at what happens to a potatoany potato-during cooking. Unlike most vegetables, which lose water during cooking as their cell walls soften and release moisture, potatoes actually absorb water. Raw potatoes contain lots of microscopic starch granules, and as the starches soften in the heat of cooking, they sponge up surrounding moisture. The amount of moisture absorbed influences the cooked potato's texture and shape. Thus, starch content is a key to determining a potato's best use. A matching game: varieties and uses At the supermarket, you'll find potatoes in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes. In addition to these obvious differences, potatoes also valY in starch content. In recipes, highstarch potatoes are sometimes referred to as "mealy" potatoes, and low-starch potatoes are often termed "waxy." It would be a great help to cooks if supermarkets labeled potatoes as high-, medium-, or low-starch varieties. UnfOltunately, not many stores do, so here's the lowdown. & potato for �very recipe SUE WILSON otatoes appear at the table in so many different, delicious guises: mashed, baked, sauteed, boiled. And as a cook, ing. Potatoes such as russets, Idahoes, and Russet Burbanks are high in starch and lower in moisture. They have thick skins, so they bake to perfection and make the fluffiest mashed potatoes. As they cook, their cells tend to separate and absorb lots of moisture, which creates their characteristic mealy, fluffy texture. When you eat these potatoes, you can sense their abundance of starch, as they feel granular and dry on your tongue. The moisture-absorbing For baking & mash- quality of high-starch potatoes also makes them good thicken· ers in soups. As chunks of high· starch potatoes cook in a soup, the potato falls apart, releasing starch granules into the broth, where they sop up liquid and thicken the soup. But that same quality prevents these potatoes from holding together during cooking, so they're not ideal for any dish where you want the potato to hold its shape: seal· 76 FINE COOKING loped potatoes, whole roasted, or hash browns. High starch: the secret to perfect french fries. High· starch potatoes are your best bet for frying. Picture a freshly cut fry as it hits hot fat. Starch granules on the outside imme· diately swell in the heat and start pulling moisture from the interior of the potato. As the outside cooks and browns, the surface seals, preventing the french fry from absorbing lots of cooking fat. And what you get is a french fry with a crisp and golden exterior and a dry, fluffy interior. Photos: Scott Phillips